“Marry! what an unmannerly welcome,” cried the man picking himself up. “My good woman, is this the way to receive guests?”
“Be that the way to enter a body’s house?” cried the dame. “Ye bean’t gentle, surely, else ye would know that an old woman can’t move the swiftest when she’s bent with the rheums.”
“I crave thy pardon, dame,” said the leader who was evidently a man of high degree. “I crave thy pardon for such an unceremonious entrance. I thought that no one was within. Give us shelter from the storm and supper. Then must we on our way. We pay for your trouble.” 215
“Well, ye won’t get either supper or shelter here. Do ye take this for an inn?” she asked querulously.
“Nay, dame; for then would we find greeting and good cheer,” returned the leader good naturedly. “This seemeth more in truth like witch’s dwelling. Whatsoe’er it be here we stay until the storm abates. We are from the queen, woman.”
Dame Margery said no more, but began to bestir herself about the supper.
“Some of you see about the horses,” commanded the leader, placing himself before the fire.
Two of the men went out and presently returned.
“’Tis a crazy sort of a barn, sir,” said one, “but it encloses as good a bit of horseflesh as e’er trod a heath. How now, dame? Where didst thou get so fine a horse?”
“Are there men here other than us?” asked the leader hastily. “If there be we must look to ourselves for we are on the queen’s business, and naught must delay us.”